Venetian blind



Nov. 21, 1950 F. J. BURNS 2,530,422

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Aug. 28, 1948 '2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIIHIIL "Hil "l U? V NTOR.

al Q ATTORNEY F. J. BURNS VENETIAN BLIND Nov. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1948 A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 1950 VENETIAN BLIND Fred J. Burns, $aginaw, Mich., assignor to The Columbia Mills, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application August 28, 1948, Serial No. 46,589

6 Claims. (01. 160-177) This invention relates to Venetian blinds adapted to be mounted in a window opening or the like, for controlling the light and air ad.-

mitted to the room, and more particularly to a slat tilting mechanism-for controlling the tilting .Of the slats.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a very simple, practical, and economical combination'saddle and pulley support, composedof a'minimum number of parts, an of simple, yet sturdy construction, and which can .be

- readily manufactured and assembled.

Another object is to design an easy-operating tilting mechanism which permits the complete closing of the slats and the elimination of light .-.-cracks or rays therethrough and which maintains the tape spaced apart even when the .blind is tilted to either extreme. Stilla further object is to providea tilt bracket and associated saddle, including means on the saddle for automatically limiting the swingin movement-of the .tilt bracket.

A further object is to design a tilting mechanism including a saddleof simple, rigid construction, which is suitably shaped and ribbed .to .reinforce the assembly, and provide upstandinglegs -on'the base sections of thesaddle walls for automatically spacing the ladder tape leading to the tilt bracket. I l

A further object still is to providea tilting meohanism including a tape tilt bracket and .saddle, soarranged and connected that the greater the angle of tilt, the more easy the .tilting operation becomes.

:Still a further object is to provide a smooth operating, combination saddle and pulley mounting, including spaced-apart walls forming a support and mounting for a pulley and over which the lift cords are trained.

A further object still is to form the upper wall with spaced-apart-raised, rolled sections to minimize contacting surface and tape friction as the -ladder tape is drawn thereever.

' 'Torthe accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention thenconsists in the means hereinafter more fully .describedand par- ;ticularly pointed out in theclaims, the annexed of a Venetian blind showing my new tilting mechanism in position therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the blind in tilted position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tilted bracket.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the saddle.

Fig. 6 is a side-elevational view of the tilting mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which the headbox of the blind is indicated by the numeral 9.

This headbox is preferably channel-shaped in cross-section, and transversely spaced tape openings lo and l l are provided in the bottom wall [2 thereof to accommodate the respective ends I3 and M of the ladder tape T as usual, said tape being formed with the usual cross tapes l5 for supporting a'plurality of slats l6, which are tiltable to open and/or closed position for the purpose of controlling light and air admitted therethrough, and in a manner to be presently described.

A longitudinally disposed tilt shaft [1 is mounted in bearings l8 provided in the headbox 9, said shaft being actuated by a tilt means 6, and comprises a bracket 19 on which the worm and worm shaft 20 and 2! respectively are mounted, said worm having toothed engagement with a small gear '22 which is mounted on the tilt shaft IT in the usual manner.

The worm shaft 2| is concealed by the front wall 23 of the headbox, and a sheave 24 is mounted thereon, a cord 25 being trained over said sheave, the free ends of the cord hanging within accommodate the ends- IS and M of the ladder tape, and a locking key 21 is insertable in said opening, suitable projections being provided at the ends of the key and project beyond the end of the slot to form a lip 28 so that the keys can be readily removed to release the ends of the ladder tape when desired.

Spaced-apart, preferably stamped saddle members S are mounted in the headbox 9 between the openings l0 and H and in horizontal alignment with the tilt shaft, each saddle being formed as clearly shown in Fig.5 of the drawings, and comprises vertically disposed connected side walls 29 and the corners 3| of which are rounded as shown to form a smooth surface, and a longitudinally disposed groove 32 is formed in the upper end of the stamping as shown, to reinforce the structure and minimize the surface area over which the ladder tape slides as the slats are tilted.

The lower end sections 33 and 34 of the side walls are bent inwardly as at 35 to accommodate and form a mounting for a roller 36, which is journaled on a pin 31 mounted in the wall sections, and shoulders 38 are formed on the saddle and form stops to limit the swinging movement or travel of the tilt bracket B, preventing excessive lifting of the tilt assemblywhen it is swung to closed position, and further prevent-' ing any binding of the tilt brackets with relation to the saddle.

The lower ends of the wallsections 33 and 34 are bent horizontally to form base sections 39 and 40, and are thence turned upwardly to form legs M and 42, the free ends of which are curved as at 43 to form a smooth surface over which the ladder tape rides as the slats are tilted, these leg sections being disposed directly in alignment with or slightly overlying the inner edges of the tape openings l6 and I I provided in the bottom wall of the headbox, these base sections being clamped or secured to the bottom wall l3 in any desired manner, and I wish to direct'attention to the fact that the base sections are longer than the tape openings, thus eliminating pinching or snagging of the tape.

In the assembly of the blind, the ends l3 and M of the ladder tape extend upwardly through the openings l and H, thence leading over the upstanding legs 4| and 42, thence over and bearing on the corners 3| of the saddle, and thence.

being anchored to the tilt bracket B.

Now, when it is desired to tilt the blind slats, the operator grasps the tilt cords 25 and exerts a downward pull on one of the cords to rotate the sheave and worm 24 and 20 respectively, and inasmuch as the worm has toothed engagement with the gear 22, the tilt shaft will be tilted accordingly, this tilting movement swinging the tilt brackets B, so that one set of tapes ride over the legs and rolled sections 4| and 3| respectively,

pulling the one set of tapes upwardly, making the other set of tapes slack, so that the slats will be tilted accordingly.

The arrangement and design of the saddle and pulley support insures self -alignment of the tape at all times; the saddle aligns the tilt bracket,

and the tilt shaft is freely removable endwise when desired.

The fact that the tapes are spaced apart by the legs 4| and 42 makes for uniform operation, and

the degree of tilt also influences the ease of operation. In other words, the operation becomes easier as the blind approaches its tightly closed position, which is contrary to the operation of blinds at present on the market.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and relatively inexpensive tilt bracket and saddle assembly for Venetian blinds and the like.

What I claim is:

1. A.Venetian blind comprising a tilt shaft, tilt brackets in axially spaced relation on said shaft, each bracket including a ladder tape anchoring means on the upper face thereof, with its axis parallel to the tilt shaft axis, and to which the upper ends of the ladder tape are connected, a. fixed saddle and tape guard member directly beneath the tilt bracket and formed with vertically disposed, spaced-apart side walls and a continuous arched top section formed with rounded corners over which the tapes slide, and a horizontally disposed groove in said top section, the lower free ends of said walls being outwardly flanged, said flanges terminating in upwardly and inwardly rolled legs forming guides for the ladder tape.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the tilt bracket is horizontally slidable on said tilt shaft and includes spaced-apart legs which straddle each saddle member. and is secured in alignment thereby, and shoulders formed intermediate the length of the side walls for engagement by the tilt bracket to limit the swinging movement of said tilt bracket.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which means is provided on the end sections of the side walls of the saddle for limiting the rotative movement of the tilt bracket.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which spaced-apart tape-accommodating openings are provided in the bottom wall of the headbox, and upstanding, inwardly-curved legs on the saddle member and disposed substantially in alignment with the inner edge of the tape openmgs.

5. A Venetian blind comprising a headbox, a tilt shaft, tilt brackets in axially spaced relation on said shaft, and tape anchoring means on the upper face of said brackets and to which the ladder tape is connected, a stamped saddle member fixedly anchored in said headbox directly beneath said tilt brackets, and comprising an arched top section with spaced apart depending side walls, said top being formed with rounded corners over which the ladder tape slides, and horizontally disposed projectin shoulders on said side walls at a point intermediate their height and engageable by said brackets for limiting the rotative movement of said brackets.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 in which said saddle comprises a, one-piece member formed with spaced-apart outwardly projecting base sections terminating in upwardly extending, inwardly curved legs.

FRED J. BURNS.

7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

